Jasmonic acid induces the production of plant defense proteins, such as proteinase inhibitors, and can promote insect, pathogen or viral resistance in plants by inducing the expression of plant defense genes. Jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate, along with a number of other materials, are also discussed by Karban and Baldwin in Induced Responses to Herbivory 12-46 (The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1997).
Another material, cis-jasmone, is a volatile component of plants and its release can be induced by damage, for example during feeding on cotton by lepidopterous larvae (Loughrin et al. (1995) J. Chem. Ecol., 21, 1217-1227). Compositions of cis-jasmone were found to attract adult Lepidoptera to attracticidal baits and/or field traps (U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,344). Cis-jasmone was also found to attract beneficial insects and alter gene expression in plants (U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,525).
Pesticides typically (and deliberately) have defined activity, often with few active ingredients reliant on limited and highly targeted modes of action. Such reliance provides the potential for resistance build up against important pests with globally important pesticidal groups (e.g. neonicotinoids), where any resistance could quickly place the whole chemical activity group at risk, and jeopardize sustainability of global food/feed and plant output (e.g. oil, protein, fiber) production.